Diamond In The Rough: Freddie Mango, Delta Charter High School

Deep in Ferriday, LA lies a newly formed school known as Delta Charter Academy. Although unknown to most, Delta Charter is quickly becoming a prerenal powerhouse in Louisiana High School Football. There are numerous hidden gems within their football team, and the most notable is running back, Freddie Mango. One glimpse at Freddie Mangos film will leave onlookers in awe. He exudes athleticism, and can be effective in any aspect of the game. It is safe to say that Mango is a sumptuous athlete, and he puts fear into opposing defenses when he is on the field. This young man’s athletic ability intrigued me and I wanted to dig deeper into who he was on and off the field. I had the honor of being able to interview this outstanding individual and he was able to impress me more than he already has.

Mango has impressive size for a high school athlete. He stands at a gargantuan 6’0 tall, and weighs in at concrete 194lbs. At this size, most would deem him unable to carry such a colossal weight, but even with his build, Mango runs an impressive 4.54 in the 40 yard dash. He has sprinters speed, combined with ideal size, which makes him a terror on the offensive side of the ball. Along with size, Freddie has mammoth like strength and strives for physicality. When Freddie Mango touches the ball, all defenders should be put on notice. https://www.hudl.com/profile/5098625/Freddie-Mango/videos.

Photo by The Natchez Democrat

Accolades

All-Metro

1st Team All-District x 3

2nd Team Wide Receiver (as a sophomore)

1st Team Defensive End (as a sophomore)

When did you first get introduced into the game of football?

This is a question I ask all athletes. This allows me to get a glimpse into how they were raised, and how they began their journey to stardom. Freddie immediately explained to me that he was introduced to the game at the age of 6. As a young child, Freddie noticed high school athletes participating in the sport as he rode with his mother. This is what initially created the interest within Freddie for the sport of football, and after that day he told his mom he wanted to be a football player. His introduction to the game differed from most. Most parents push their children into sports at an early age, because life lesson are synonymous with sports. Freddie explained that he took the initiative when it came to beginning his football career.

Why do you play football, and are you involved in other sports?

Most athletes struggle when asked this question, but Freddie differed. He explained, that he has deep, rooting passion and love for the game of football. This passion was instilled him by numerous relatives because the sport has affected his entire family. Along with football, Freddie also participates in soccer, basketball, and baseball. He was quick to tell me that he not only has a passion for football, but he also is enamored with sport of baseball as well. Although football is his first love, Freddie would also love to make a professional career out of baseball, if the opportunity presented itself.

Can you describe your style of play, and what are some players you pattern yourself after?

When watching Freddie play he looks like a combination of countless running backs who dominate the NFL today. He explained to me that he patterns himself after Leonard Fournette and Alvin Kamara, and his playstyle reflects this. Freddie was able to dictate why he enjoyed watching and learning from each of these players, and he explained that Fournette is extremely powerful, and that Kamara shows astonishing elusiveness. He is able to combine these two styles of play and become an offensive juggernaut. Freddie also said that one of his favorite college players was Baker Mayfield, despite him being a quarterback. He explained that Mayfield’s attitude and confidence is appealing to him as a high school player.

What are your strengths and weakness as a player?

When asked this question, Freddie somewhat hesitated. Confidence is key when playing any sport, so asking an athlete to critique himself may be deemed very difficult. After some thought, Freddie gave answers that I expected of a superb athlete such as himself. He explained that his greatest strength comes in the form of toss plays or sweep plays. This immediately made sense because of his breathtaking speed, but he was quick to debunk the stereotype I had placed upon him. Freddie explained that he enjoys those style of plays because it allows him to use his exceptional field vison to determine how holes are developing and whether he needs to cut back if holes are being clogged by defensive players. Alternatively, he explained that his main weakness comes in the form of screen plays. When trying to see the field, screen plays slow him down, and his field vision gets blurred. Although he is able to make plays out of this offensive style, he deemed it as his greatest weakness.

What are your upcoming goals for this season, as well as your favorite moment as a player?

Freddie has already set goals that I know he will achieve in this upcoming season. Individually, he wants to tally 25 total touchdowns, along with 1900 rushing yards. This may seem monumental in stature, but Freddie has enormous amounts of confidence in his offensive line and his athletic ability. He explained that this year is going to be his biggest yet, and with talented, new players being introduced to the team, he believes his goals are achievable. Freddie understands that his singular goals cannot be achieved by himself and that his teammates are of the utmost importance. He then went on to explain his favorite moment as player, which came in the spoiling of St. Fredericks homecoming game. During this game, Freddie rushed for over 300 yards on 21 carries, and combined for 4 total touchdowns.

What are your college aspirations?

This question showed me how dedicated Freddie was to the game, as well as how humble he truly is. He explained to me that, whichever college he decides to attend, he wants to fight for a position, and earn the right to receive reps on the field. He understands that nothing is given to him and that everything has to be earned through hard work and dedication. Freddie is also open to playing running back, which is his preferred positon, as well as defensive back at the next level. Academics are also an important part of being a student athlete, and Freddie explained to me that he has the goal of being an engineer, and has yet to pick his focus.

Why do you love football?

I prefer to end every interview with this question. For some, it may be difficult to answer, but when asked, Freddie continued to impress me. He explained that football teaches life lessons, and that things do not always go your way whether it be on the field or in life. Once this happens, we strive to perform better than we did the in the previous day or game. This answer is something I did not expect from Freddie, but it showed just how much compassion he has for the game of football. He also explained that football is release for him, and helps to improve his character as well. Football also stems into Freddie’s family life, which increases his love for the game. Freddie explained that he is also able to teach his little brother to be an immaculate athlete and person through the game of football.

Freddie Mango is not only an astounding athlete, he is also phenomenal young man. He has unassailable potential, and if continues on his current path, the sky is the limit. Make sure to take note of him and Delta Charter in this upcoming season because they surely will not disappoint.